This paper summarizes the good practices by nine selected OECD countries that seek to promote responsible foreign investment in developing country agriculture, primarily by investors in their territory or jurisdiction. The study provides examples of the increasing trend of home countries in establishing binding legal norms and other mechanisms as safeguards that are relevant for agricultural investment. It finds that States apply some specific provisions to hold private corporate actors...

This paper analyses foreign direct investment (FDI) flows in food, beverages and tobacco, including primary agriculture and retail, from 2003 to 2014. It provides information on global, regional and - where possible - national trends in FDI flows in food, beverages and tobacco. When data are available, this study also provides more detailed insights into particular qualitative traits of FDI flows, such as whether FDI seems to be market- or...

At its 54th Session, the Committee on Commodity Problems (CCP) requested the Intergovernmental Group on Meat to consider including hides and skins in its mandate, following which the Intergovernmental Group recommended the establishment of the Sub-Group on Hides and Skins in February 1985 and the CCP endorsed this proposal at its 55th Session in October 1985. In order to be able to service ad-hoc meetings and to facilitate discussions of...

FAO and the OECD have jointly developed this practical guidance to help enterprises observe existing standards of responsible business conduct along agricultural supply chains. The guidance is a summary of existing voluntary standards and principles, including the Principles for Responsible Investment in Agriculture and Food Systems (CFS RAI) endorsed by the CFS in 2014. It does not aim to create any new standards, nor does it seek to substitute existing...

Climate forecasts point to a very likely continuation of drier-than-normal conditions in early 2016 increasing the likelihood of serious impacts on production across many areas of the subregion.

International prices of wheat and maize generally declined in November and were lower than a year earlier. Overall, ample global supplies and weak export demand weighed on quotations. The FAO Rice Price Index remained on a decreasing trend, influenced by declines in Japonica and Aromatic rice prices. In Southern Africa, maize prices rose further in November and doubled their year-earlier levels in some markets, reflecting tight market supplies due to...

FAO’s latest forecasts for global supply and demand of cereals continue to point to a generally comfortable 2015/16 marketing season, with world inventories by the close of seasons in 2016 expected to fall only slightly below their record opening levels. AFRICA: Cereal production in 2015 is forecast to fall, mainly reflecting the impact of adverse weather on Southern Africa’s output and the ongoing harvest in East Africa. Harvests in West...